Raised on a dairy farm north of the Twin Cities, John got his first guitar for Christmas when he was 7 and ingesting TV shows like Hee-Haw and the Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour. By junior high, he was writing songs on a nylon string guitar he purchased for $75 from Shopper's City. In high school. Bands were formed, mostly playing the music that he and his friends idolized: Neil Young, Springsteen, The Clash, The Pretenders, Petty. 

Throughout life, music would sometimes take a back seat but it was never out of his heart. Playing with bands like Oren Goby, Cosmoline, and then a 10-year stint playing guitar, banjo, and mandolin with Bernie King & The Guilty Pleasures kept the fire stoked. In 2020 the other members of BKGP relocated to warmer climates and John decided it was time to showcase his own original tunes. In 2022 he released his first full-length album, Shovel and Hole.

Dehn’s original songs contain shades of Tom Waits, Jackson Browne, and The Waterboys. His melodies and lyrics can be haunting or playful, but always leave something for the listener to mull over. His solo album “Shovel & Hole” can be previewed on this website or streamed on Bandcamp, Apple Music and Spotify.